I N T R O D U C T I O N
Marking the 61st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, a series of activities and events were planned in Hong Kong that were sure to celebrate.

The festivities in the ultra-bustling Special Administrative Region commenced with a flag-raising ceremony amongst several thousand people at the Golden Bauhinia on October 1st 2010 at 8am. Around the same time several jet-lag zones behind at Gate 232 of Dubai International Airport, a pre-boarding announcement was made for an Emirates A380 tasked to operate its inaugural flight to Hong Kong.

Pre-departure checks complete, doors closed, and the flight crew requested pushback at Dubai, while the Police band and a school mixed voice choir played and sang the national anthem at the ceremony in Hong Kong. The festivities in Dubai commenced as the Emirates A380 made its first departure towards Chek Lap Kok, while the morning ceremony in Hong Kong was concluded with a sea parade and a fly-past by several of the SAR’s disciplined forces. In the evening, a spectacular 23-minute fireworks display at Victoria Harbour ended the official 61st Chinese National Day Celebrations, only a few hours after the Emirates A380 made its first landing in Hong Kong.

The Emirates A380 was only a nonstop terminator flight to Bangkok, however today it is a stop away from non-stop, one-stop to Hong Kong. Dancing in the dark, all the way to the very end, two of us were on board inaugurating the festivities of this special event.

Join Sam Chui and myself as we take you on a trip of spectacular madness …

Now we all know that the words ‘Hong’ and ‘Kong’ are music to my ears, and combined with the words ‘Emirates A380’ and ‘Inaugural Flight’ meant double or even triple the pleasure. I knew it wasn’t going to be such a big thing as the JFK inaugural however, I still felt like I wanted to be a part of this one too. Nevertheless, and with all the excitement, my printer spat out a Business Class itinerary that would take me from Dubai to Hong Kong via Bangkok on the Emirates A380 inaugural flight on October 1st.

Apparently –and I had never really paid any attention before- Emirates has been milking away its BKK-HKG 5th Freedom Route for many years now. Combined with the introduction of the A380 on a segment that can be flown by a larger catchment size of traffic, there definitely was a lot of interest by the public masses, including several A.netters as well.

However, coincidence really had its way when Sam Chui had sent me an email to inform me that business shall bring him to Abu Dhabi during the last few days in September, with a departure out of the UAE scheduled on 1st October 2010. He managed to get a ticket on Emirates however his flight back to Hong Kong was on EK380 –a 77W operating with the old Business Class recliner seats- which was then changed to EK384 while he was in Abu Dhabi.

D E P A R T U R E
We had requested for an Emirates Chauffer service to be at my apartment at 10pm on September 30. Naturally, our Emirates-branded Volvo was at my building by 9:45pm and our driver called me at exactly 10pm.

On our way to DXB (picture by Sam Chui)

A mere 20 minutes later, we were dropped off at the curbside of terminal 3’s premium check-in area at Dubai international Airport. An Emirates agent had approached the car to welcome us to the airport and escort us to the Business Class check-in desks. We decided to sort out our check-in first before giving Sam the grand tour of the empty ‘KUL-like’ landside area of Terminal 3.

Emirates Business Class check-in counters at DXB

At the counter at 10:25am, we handed our documents to the check-in agent and informed her about our requests for an upgrade to First Class. Sam’s reservation had a request in the system for an upgrade subject to load and we did not want to travel in different classes, so we had requested the agent if it was possible I could purchase an upgrade using my Emirates / Skywards miles only if Sam’s upgrade was approved; otherwise we were both happy to remain in Business Class.

The agent made a quick phone call –I believe to the Operations Control Center- and logged the request with the manager on duty. We were advised to check on the status of this request at the gate, when things would have been clearer by then. After this, our boarding passes were printed, Sam’s suitcase was tagged to Hong Kong, and our documents handed back to us.

Our Business Class boarding passes to Hong Kong

By 10:40pm, we were cleared to proceed, but before heading airside, I gave Sam the grand tour of the landside area, as surprisingly it was his first time at T3!

The terminal at this time of night was even less crowded than the last time I was at the facility when I traveled to Jo’Burg. However, this is normal as per a recent Emirates hub-report on A.net, which revealed that the late-night movement bank is not as busy as the crazy sunrise Emirates rave parade. Naturally, EK’s miniscule Dubai O&D traffic flows would even be thinner at this time of night hence, the deafening silence at the check-in area tonight.

Outside T3, I always find myself attracted to this

First & Business Class curbside at T3 (picture by Sam Chui)

Who wants to liberate an Emirates-branded stroller?

Several Self-Service check-in Kiosks available after entering the terminal

A quick moment of obsession at the Emirates FIDS

Terminal view

Self-Service Check-in counters with baggage drop facilities

First Class check-in counters (picture by Sam Chui)

Using the facilities of the UAE-Gate, immigration was a total non-issue for me, and so was the subsequent security check, which followed right after. At 11:45pm, both Sam and myself were airside.

Last time it was FIFA, tonight it’s all about the A380 Spa

Similarly at the airside terminal building, it was also quieter in comparison. There was a transit flow but it was far less overwhelming than the morning stampede. You could actually enjoy the terminal, but not for too long as the midnight arrival dumps were gradually peaking into the building.

A quiet time of night at the mega hub

A few transits scattered here and there

However more began to gradually arrive

Escaping the progressing crowds, we decided to seek shelter inside the Emirates Business Class lounge for some peace and quiet.

Arriving at the Business Class lounge at 11:35pm

At the reception of the Business Class lounge, we thought to enquire with the agent about the status of our upgrade. We informed the friendly Indonesian agent about our scenario and upon checking with the OCC, we were advised that two seats were reserved for us at this stage, but we would have to check at the gate. I randomly requested if there was any possibility to use the First Class Lounge given that we have the possibility of this upgrade looming in the background.

“Gentlemen, it would be my pleasure to offer you the facilities of our First Class lounge, please present your boarding pass to my colleague Reem inside the lounge and she will be more than happy to assist”

Again, this reaffirms my conclusion that Emirates has some of the best ground staff out there!

At the First Class Lounge

At the lounge reception, Reem took a look at our initialed boarding passes and gladly welcomed us inside.

Glad to be back!

We were both hungry, but before hitting the buffet, Sam decided to book an appointment for a massage at the Timeless Spa reception.

Timeless Spa (picture by Sam Chui)

Sam at the spa

At the main dining area, a waiter immediately approached our table to hand out a la carte menus and take our drink orders. A breadbasket, in addition some olives and a small late of hummus were also placed on the table. We all know my opinion on this lounge, but tonight, it was Sam’s turn to be impressed!

Our table

Just a sample of the extensive a la carte option

Sam at the table

After settling into our dining spot, we both opted for the buffet and proceeded to explore the offering.

Nice décor accent

Several nice areas in the lounge for a sit-down meal

And now the buffet

Picture by Sam Chui

Picture by Sam Chui

Back at the table with our food

Both Sam and myself enjoyed the great food offering at the lounge, as everything was fresh and perfect. After dinner, we moved to a comfortable couch area adjacent to the dining room where I simply relaxed while Sam proceeded for his massage appointment.

When Sam had returned at 2am, he was beginning to feel rather sick. Not sure whether it was exhaustion or food poisoning, but his condition began to worsen a little, his face was rather pale, and his stomach pain was not going away. We informed a passing lounge agent, who immediately took action and called the paramedics.

A few minutes later the paramedics arrived with oodles of medical equipment, a foldable hospital bed on wheels, and a wheelchair; they began to interact with Sam in order to assess his situation and while doing so, the usual blood pressure and temperature testing was going on.

We were now one hour before our scheduled departure time, and I had enquired whether Sam was fit to fly or not. Apparently it was up to the doctor to decide this, but it was also Sam’s choice whether he felt like seeing the doctor or not. We all decided that a visit to the doctor was necessary and as such, Sam was placed on the wheelchair and we all proceeded out of the lounge towards the Dubai Airport Medical Clinic, located behind the Duty Free area.

Naturally, I was rather concerned and the last thing on my mind was to continue taking pictures. However, on our way to the medical clinic Sam cracked a smile and said “hey Roni, take my picture on the wheelchair!!!” All the paramedics broke into laughter when they saw me taking pictures of Sam on a wheelchair.

BIZARRE!!!!

Along with the paramedics, we were escorted by a wonderful Emirates ground agent from Iraq, who was in constant communication with the Gate staff as we were 15 minutes away from boarding time. After dropping us off at what seemed to be the doctor’s office, she excused herself for several moments to attend to something else.

A female doctor from the Indian Subcontinent was quick to receive Sam and begin running tests to assess his condition. While this was going on, the Iraqi agent returned back to us with a big smile.

“The flight will soon begin boarding, but I think we have enough time. I’ve informed the gate and we will hold the flight for you”
“Thank you for that”
“Oh by the way, these are your new boarding passes, you’ve both been upgraded to First Class”

Our First Class boarding passes

Sam at the Medical Clinic - “Upgrade? I’m not sick anymore!”

After the latest series of tests were complete, we were then wheeled into another office, where the doctor was sitting behind a desk. It was then evident that the lady that attended to us at first was his nurse. No specific reason was given for Sam’s condition however Sam believes he was just exhausted after a rather stressful period of business meetings in Abu Dhabi. I believed his words more than the doctor’s as we found him to be rather dry, and probably inexperienced.

He handed Sam a prescription and without bidding farewell, he let us proceed to Gate 232. What was more interesting was that we had to purchase the medicine ourselves from the Duty Free pharmacy; I think it would have been more appropriate if we were given a small sample of medicine for free that would last us only until we reached our destination.

At 2:45am, we had arrived at Gate 232, where the flight had already commenced boarding. There was a lot of activity going on at the gate, and for some reason the variety of different congregations felt like I was at the entrance of an all-night dance rave that was hosting thousands of club-goers. Is this a modern boarding experience of an A380 flight or am I just obsessing? Who cares, I’m about to fly First Class!

Gate 232 (picture by Sam Chui)

At the podium, our boarding passes were scanned and ripped

Proceeding towards the holding area, premium passengers have to go one level above the gate area by elevators to reach the upper deck aerobridge. It may sound a little complicated but the elevators are large enough to fit enough passengers in each load, and I believe that Dubai International Airport had correctly planned out this elevator mass-transport concept.

Proceeding through the upper-deck aerobridge

Looking outside, we were absolutely taken away by the fact that our aircraft for tonight’s flight was A6-EDM. As Emirates’ ultra-latest bird at the time, it was a very exciting discovery and for once our ‘I am only into classic planes’ type theories suddenly did not matter anymore. There is no feeling like riding a fresh plane, whether it’s far too commercial for our liking or not.

Boarding A6-EDM?? I am definitely not sick Roni!

At Door 1L of the upper deck, we thanked the very helpful wheelchair attendee that escorted us to the aircraft, handed him a tip, and proceeded to board. Senior Flight Stewardess (SFS), Nathalie, took a look at our boarding passes as she welcomed us on board with great spirits.

“Mr. … Chui and Mr… .. Hawi? … is that right?”
“Yes it is”
“Excellent, welcome on board gentlemen, great to have you back”
“Thanks. We are here for the inaugural flight”
“Oh that’s wonderful! I trust you will enjoy the flight with us in First Class”
“My colleague will be escorting you to your seats”
“Thanks!”

I did not really require an escort 'service' to my seat however, the crew flocked towards Sam like butterflies to ensure he was assisted all the way through the cabin to his seat. Ms. Weili -a cabin crew from China on her first A380 flight tonight- was especially pleased to be working on Sam's side of the aisle, and she very much added that 'Mandarin' personal touch to Sam's onboard experience.

The First Class cabin onboard this A380 -opulent, futuristic, private, and with a touch of class- was up to capacity tonight as each and every one of those 14 suites was occupied. Peeping behind me through the aisle, masses were marching towards the opposite end of the fuselage which only tells me that this flight was packing to the gills.

The cabin

At my suite at 2F, a freshly laundered pillow, mattress, and blanket were placed in their usual locations, along with the other amenities such as the fully stocked mini-bar and snack basket, vanity and writing kits. All lights in the suite were fully lit and the ambience could not be more inviting as I quickly made myself comfortable on the plush leather seat; who's to say I'm not going to enjoy the next ten or so hours of this flight?

The seat & suite (picture by Sam Chui)

Leg space

IFE screen

On board this flight, was a set of 23 cabin crew which included the purser -Sharon Wong from the Philippines-, three SFS' scattered throughout the aircraft, and one Cabin Service Attendant (CSA), whose task was primarily the up-keeping of the onboard Spa. At First Class, we were blessed with the presence of two lovely crew that worked quite hard to ensure our safety and comfort throughout the flight.

A little Mesmerized by all the goings-on, I was suddenly brought back to reality by a lovely Sirirat from Thailand, who had arrived at my seat with an offering of slippers, eyeshades, pyjamas, and amenity kits (thankfully these did not get the chop on night flights!).

"Welcome on board sir, how are you doing tonight?"
"Very well thank you"
"I'd like to offer you your amenities for the flight"
"Thank you"
"And this bag is for you to place everything inside"

Slippers

Eyeshades

Pyjamas

Amenity kit

A very nice bag that was perfect for liberating the entire A380

YaY! I'm on a plane! (picture by Sam Chui)

YaY! Me too! (picture using Sam Chui's camera)

Meanwhile, as Sirirat made her way to offer amenities to the next passenger, it was Weili's turn to appear by seat with an offering of welcome drinks.

Welcome drinks

"Welcome on board sir, may I offer you something to drink?"
"I have orange juice, apple juice, and champagne. Or anything else perhaps?"
"I'll have a glass of orange juice please"

My glass of OJ

Dates and Arabic coffee were then offered -in which I declined- and then Sirirat reappeared with a very special offering that was to be the highlight of my experience on this flight.

"Mr. Hawi, would you like to book an appointment at the onboard shower and spa?"
"Definitely"
"When would you care to use it?"
"Perhaps after takeoff please?"
"Certainly, we will let you know once it is ready after takeoff"
"Thank you"

At 3:30am our Captain, Eric Trotter, made an announcement to welcome us on board and to inform us that our slight delay in pushing back was due to the baggage offloading of some missing passengers (seriously now, where do these passengers go?). However, as this was almost done, we were soon to be on our way to Bangkok and Hong Kong. He also informed us of our routing to Bangkok and that our flight time for this sector was to be 5 hours and 45 minutes.

Pushback occurred at 3:40am

The taxi to the runway was quiet and flawless, and as many have pointed out, this advantage of the A380 can also be a slight disadvantage as it gives way to hearing many unnecessary sounds. Tonight, such sounds as grunts, gasps, yawns, and phlegm-clears were quite easily heard as A6-EDM's engines uttered a quiet roar that seemed too far away to belong to this aircraft.

Arriving at the runway, we held short to give way to a blue-striped A330 that was preparing for takeoff. "OMG GARUDA!!!!" both me and Sam yelled -another unnecessary sound that was heard across the cabin- and for just a small moment as we looked at each other with surprise, we were wishing to be on board that Amsterdam-bound flight.

Holding short for Garuda Indonesia

However, all such thoughts were re-called and forgotten at around 3:35am when our Shamu-Jet took off into the night and began the journey towards Bangkok.

After reaching cruising altitude, the seatbelt sign was switched off and the crew were released. There is no typical order of events in Emirates First Class and as such, everyone zoned into several different activities; some drifted off to sleep, others powered on their IFE's, some settled for a cup of coffee, while I anxiously waited for my appointment of retreat at the Spa.

Cabin shots after takeoff

Meanwhile, Weili had turned Sam's seat down into its fully flat position as he was exhausted and needed to sleep during the beginning of this journey.

Nighty night! (picture using Sam Chui's camera)

"Mr. Hawi, the shower has been prepared for you"
"Thank you"
"Most welcome. I would also like to offer you the menu for the flight. We will be serving you a breakfast at anytime that you like"
"Great. Can you please wake me up for breakfast 2 hours before landing?"
"Certainly"

Menu

Bar service

DXB-BKK offering

BKK-HKG offering

Arabic sample

Two shower spas are located in the front side of the cabin, near the First Class social area. CSA Geraldine, from the Philippines, welcomed me to the starboard-side spa and gave me a thorough briefing on the features of this confinement.

You really have not seen it all until you've paid a visit to this unique space onboard an aircraft. The amenities and the settings are exactly like those found in a large bathroom of a five-star hotel. Lotion, shampoo, body wash, conditioner, and loofah's are aplenty and available at your disposal. Emirates-branded shave kits and toothbrush sets also available for use along with a hairdryer, an electric razor power port, and the usual barf-bags and feminine pads. The rest is just a space of heaven that only the following pictures can describe.

Introducing the Emirates onboard shower & spa

The shower

Inside the shower

Time to shower! (picture by Sam Chui)

There has been a lot of debate on the 5-minute time-limit on the Emirates shower. The mechanism behind this, is that you are allowed a total of 30 minutes to spend inside the spa doing whatever you wish (and mind you, a maximum of two people per session is the rule!). Within those 30 minutes, you are allocated 5 minutes total time for running water, and you are free to switch the shower off at anytime in order to buy more time. So in reality, you could have a 30 minute shower using up to a total of 5-minutes worth of water.

Thinking you may feel cold being naked on a plane and switching off the water to have more shower time? Think again because the Emirates onboard spa features heated flooring that is guaranteed to keep you warm and snuggly. It was my first time being completely nude on an aircraft, and it felt so liberating!

I showered for 15 minutes, and used up my 5-minutes water's worth. After drying up, dressing up, and some final moments of pampering, I was out of the shower within 25 minutes feeling so relaxed and quite ready to sleep.

First Class social area near the showers

Back at my seat, turndown service has been complete, however a quick visit to the Business Class bar was necessary first before hitting the sack.

My bed

Passing through the dark aisles of First and Business Class, there was not an empty seat in sight, and most passengers were fast asleep. At the light at the end of the tunnel, I arrived at the mildly busy Business Class bar. Several passengers were socializing over drinks, some at the bar while others on the couch. Sharon and Nathalie were entertaining two young men who were showing off their business itinerary to Hong Kong and beyond, while the bar had a more down-to-earth atmosphere and was supervised by Mary, whom I was pleasantly surprised to discover was a Christian Arab from Egypt (we are quite rare you know!).

The Business Class bar

Picture by Sam Chui taken at a later time during the flight

Picture by Sam Chui taken at a later time during the flight

Sharon broke away from the 'I fly only Business Class each time I travel' conversations by the couch to check on things by the bar.

"Hi Mr. Hawi, nice to see you here in the lounge. How is everything so far?"
"Everything is great thank you"
"Are you a reporter for a magazine?"
"No, I am just an aviation freak!"
"Oh that's interesting, is this your first time on the A380?"
"No it's not, but my friend and I are here for the inaugural flight to Hong Kong"
"Wow! that's great. Well I hope you enjoy the flight with us today"
"Thank you! May I take a picture of you and your lovely colleague please?"

Sharon & Mary

I ordered my customary Bloody Mary, and joined the casual chit-chat that was happening between two friendly Scottish fellow passengers, Mary, and the occasional third random crew. One thing is for sure -and the anti-EK's may think otherwise- is that the conversations one can have with your typically good Emirates crew are always quite real and very every-day. I think they can be quite a fun and down-to-earth bunch when on a good flight (and my experiences seem to see much more of the good than the bad of late).

Passing by a dark J cabin on my way back

Arriving back at the First Class cabin

And dozing off for the next several hours (picture by Sam Chui)

I woke up two hours prior to arrival in Bangkok, and found Sam awake and feeling much better, and was holding two certificates.

"Hey Roni look! Sharon handed out our inaugural flight certificates while you were sleeping. Yours has your name on it! Mine doesn't because it was a last minute flight booking!"

Sam & my certificates

While Weili had already set Sam's table up for breakfast, Sirirat was at my seat for my wakeup call.

"Good morning Mr. Hawi. Can I offer you some breakfast?"
"Yes please. I'd like to have the detox drink, bread basket, yoghurt, and the egg noodles"

The fruit and the yoghurt were very cold, and very refreshing; just the way they are meant to be. Once we were both through with our starters, our main courses were promptly delivered.

Sam's main course (picture by Sam Chui)

My main course

The main course consisted of egg noodles served with a glutinous rice dumpling wrapped in a lotus leaf and a steamed shrimp dumpling. We both found the meal to be of excellent quality, and I was especially impressed with the rather flavorful rice dumpling. It was excellent!

Our tables were cleared at the end of the meal service

Business Class cabin after the breakfast service

At the bar one more time

Adinuch & Daniel

First Class cabin shortly before descent

At 12:10pm local time in Thailand, our captain made an announcement to inform us that we had begun our initial descent towards Suvarnabhumi International Airport and that we were expected to touchdown within 30 minutes. The seatbelt sign was then switched on, and the cabin crew continued their preparations for landing.

A hot towel service was conducted while Sharon passed around the First Class cabin to personally bid farewell to each passenger.

"Good morning gentlemen. How was everything?"
"Everything was absolutely great, thank you very much!"
"I am glad to hear that. There will be a crew change in Bangkok so I will bid farewell to you here."
"I would like to thank you for flying with us today, and we hope to see you on board again soon!"

Approach into Bangkok

Picture by Sam Chui

At 12:40pm, A6-EDM simply 'dropped' onto the runway -something I have noticed to be common of an A380 touchdown- and gradually decelerated into a typical taxi speed before exiting towards a taxiway. For a moment I thought that the flight had come to a complete end, only to be reminded that there still was a transit stop, and a continued journey to Hong Kong ahead. In reality, it was now when this flight was to transform from a regular operation to an inaugural flight.

I had high hopes for some time spent inside Suwanapoom, but unfortunately we were requested to remain on board during the transit stop. With such hopes, my nicotine withdrawals suddenly surfaced -very heavily too- and I had to focus on holding the reigns a little until we reached Hong Kong. It all worked out well in the end.

As soon as most Bangkok-bound passengers had deplaned, the aircraft cleaning staff had trickled into the aircraft and were quick to begin their duty. With just over an hour's worth of turnaround time, I was curious to see how the Bangkok ground staff would manage this A380. Without any surprise -as BKK seldom disappoints- the aircraft was cleaned, blankets, headsets, and such replenished, all mini-bars re-stocked, and every other little detail that was behind the naked eye seemed to be superbly managed. Perhaps, if anything, the only nuisance would have been Sam and myself making our ways through their work for nothing but the intention to explore.

Cleaning staff in the First Class cabin

I love taking this shot during transit stops

Cleaning staff in the Business Class cabin

Two A.netters invading the transit stop

Business Class seat (picture by Sam Chui)

Picture by Sam Chui

Picture by Sam Chui

Business Class cabin during the transit stop

Back in First Class, the photo-shoot continues

Picture by Sam Chui

Picture by Sam Chui

Picture by Sam Chui

More of the First Class Suite & Seat

Picture by Sam Chui

Picture by Sam Chui

Fully re-stocked in Bangkok

A new set of crew began to make their ways inside the aircraft, and each assumed their respective working positions after a brief handover from the crew that operated the flight from Dubai.

Ms. Zoleka, our motherly-lovin', ultra-charming, and extra-cheerful purser from South Africa, had made her inaugural appearance in the First Class cabin, and her very first task -even before stowing her carry-on rollaway that was trailing behind her in the aisle- was to greet her First Class customers with nothing but momma's love n care!

"Assalamu alaikom!"
"Wa alaikom al salam! I see you know enough Arabic!"
"Come on now, I live in Dubai"
"My name is Zoleka, and I will be with you for the next two hours"
"Nice to meet you! So you must be Sharon's substitute for this flight"
"Indeed, and I was asked to specifically take very good care of you two!"

As the crew settled in, pre-departure services began as the Hong Kong-bound premium 5th Freedom traffic made their appearances in the upper deck.

First Class passengers began boarding at 1:55pm

Apart from Sam, myself, and a honeymooning couple that joined from Dubai, the newcomers in the cabin were mostly of Thai origins that seemed to be making their ways to Hong Kong for holidays. Perhaps they even were on this flight for its inaugural-esque intentions; who knows, but at least they seemed to be enjoying their respective First Class suites.

Meanwhile, Noelle from the Philippines -striking, beautiful, humble, and very attractive- made her appearance in the aisle to welcome us on board and introduce herself.

"Good afternoon Mr. Hawi, welcome on board. My name is Noelle and I will be serving you on this sector"
"Can I offer you something to drink before takeoff?"
"May I have a glass of champagne please?"
"Certainly"

My glass of champagne

Perry -from African descent- was equally cheerful and professional, and also introduced herself to us as she offered a selection of newspapers.

"Gentlemen, my name is Perry, and I would like to welcome you on board"
"Along with my colleagues, I will be looking after you this afternoon. Would you care for a newspaper?"
"No. Thank you!"
"My pleasure, may I get offer you another glass of champagne?"
"Yes please"

Vincenzo from Italy was summoned to second my glass of champagne

At 2:10pm, Captain Ian Chetcuti made an announcement to welcome us onboard and inform us that we were soon to be departing for Hong Kong with a flight time of 2 hours and 11 minutes. Following that, an English announcement was made by Zoleka, followed by Arabic, and then Thai.

"Would all ground staff kindly leave the aircraft, this flight is bound for Hong Kong"

Cabin after the boarding bustle

While the crew were readying the cabin for departure, Zoleka was in the cabin introducing herself to each new joiner and addressing each passenger by name. To my eyes, I am seeing this flight to be very Cathay! And we all know that this, to me, is a damn good thing!

"Gentlemen, once again I would like to welcome you on board, but please don't tell me you're gonna sleep again on this flight? It's just two hours!"
"Not to worry, we are not going to miss a thing on this flight"
"It is wonderful to see you two shining and cheerful, after the long flight from Dubai"
"It is also likewise, and your colleagues really took care of us!"
"So sorry about the delay earlier, but this flight is just two hours, so we will try our best to make it up to you"

Vincenzo & Perry conducted a service of Arabic coffee & dates

The doors were eventually closed, and we commenced pushback at 2:30pm. Quietly spooling -and you won't hear it, you'll just expect it- we began our 20 or so minute taxi to the active runway.

At 2:50pm, A6-EDM continued her journey to Hong Kong

Sam fell asleep during takeoff

At cruising altitude when the seatbelt sign was switched off, the crew was released to prepare for the quick service. Perry commenced the service by taking lunch orders.

"Mr. Hawi, can I offer some lunch ?"
"Yes please, I'd like to have the chicken salad to start, chicken tikka for the main course, and let's see later for dessert"
"Very well then. But today we are serving a white chocolate mille-feuille for dessert, and it's delicious!"
"Okay then, I will take you up on that!"
"Would you like anything to drink with your meal?"
"I'll have a Bloody Mary please"

As for Sam, he ordered the salmon for starters, the grilled beef tenderloin for the main course and the assortment of side dishes, in addition to the mille-feuille for dessert.

An excellent Bloody Mary was served with nuts and condiments

After my first glass of Bloody Mary was cleared, my table was set with linen, silverware, a water glass and a breadbasket. A tray was then placed in front of me which contained the side-salad, the starter, dressing, salt & pepper shakers, a bread plate, and a second glass of Bloody Mary. As it was a very short flight, I think it only made perfect sense to have a classy tray service for the meal.

My meal tray

Chicken Salad starter

Condiments

Side salad

Bread

Sam's starter (picture by Sam Chui)

Both our starters were excellent. Sam enjoyed his salmon, while I found my chicken salad flavorful and spicy. I especially enjoyed the bread -as always- which was soft and oven hot.

My chicken tikka arrived as soon as I was finished with my starter

Sam's beef tenderloin (picture by Sam Chui)

Picture by Sam Chui

Again, another pair of excellent meals!

"Mr. Hawi, how was everything?"
"Excellent, thank you"
"You're most welcome. May I clear your table?"
"Yes please"
"Would you like any tea of coffee with dessert?"
"I'll have a cup or coffee please"
"Certainly"

My dessert was served with a small box of Godiva chocolates, and my cup of coffee came with the entire pot which I thought was a great touch!

My dessert & coffee

Heavenly mille feuille

Sam's dessert (picture by Sam Chui)

Our tables were cleared as soon as we were through with the meal service, and we each roamed around the cabin one more time before we were soon due to land in Hong Kong.

Late afternoon cruise (picture by Sam Chui)

Cabin after the meal service

First Class staircase

Me & Zoleka

Sam & Zoleka (picture taken using Sam's camera)

At 5:30pm local time in Hong Kong, our captain made an announcement to inform us that we had reached top of descent. As we were due to land within 30 minutes, the seatbelt sign was switched on and the crew made their final preparations for landing.

As saddening a feeling as it was that this flight was ending, I was equally excited -and admittedly for the worst of all reasons- to get the hell out of this aircraft and smoke a cigarette (I know! addiction is evil!).

During the final stages of the flight, Zoleka handed out inaugural flight certificates to all passengers that had joined in Bangkok, before catching up with us for one final time.

"So. Mr. Chui & Mr. Hawi, the stars of this flight! I really do hope you have enjoyed the flight with us today. See? I told you it wouldn’t take too long!"
"Thank you very much Zoleka, you were all great! Really!"
"It is my pleasure! I trust that you had both received your certificates on the earlier flight?"
"Yes we did"
"Thank you for flying with us, and I must see you again on board one of my flights!"

As we taxied closer to the gate, two fire trucks were in position on each side of the entryway to the Apron. However still from a significant distance, the fire trucks had already begun releasing water well before the aircraft had arrived at their position.

From my personal experience in such inaugural flight activities, activating the water at such an early stage during the sequence of events can yield the most embarrassing outcome. However, why was I to doubt the abilities and experience of my counterparts at HKIA? Everything was perfect, and the water canon salute we received was a gazillion times better than that during the A380's inaugural at JFK.

Water canon salute at HKIA

Finally docked at the gate

We requested for a visit to the cockpit, and Zuleka instantly approved, but she asked that we wait for a while until most passengers had disembarked.

Cabin after all passengers disembarked

Sam & Noelle (picture taken using Sam Chui's camera)

Me & Noelle (picture by Sam Chui)

This TR was in these bags!

Passengers disembarking

Picture by Sam Chui

We were finally let inside the cockpit, and Zuleka had introduced us to Captain Ian Chetcuti from Italy, and First Officer Mohamed Rahmani from the UAE. It felt like we were in their batchelor's pad as we were instantly invited to 'chill'. Furthermore, without any hesitation, Captain Ian was more than happy to take pictures of us sitting on his seat.

In the midst of our aviation-talk (The FO even knew the company I worked for!!), Mohamed had rolled open the window by his side to take a peek outside at some 50 or so HK ground personnel that seemed like they were waiting for that moment. He waved his inaugural A380 flight to HKG greeting, and he was met with pictures upon pictures by the Hong Kong ground staff. They were just so excited!

Sam in the cockpit (picture taken using Sam Chui's camera)

My turn! (picture by Sam Chui)

Picture by Sam Chui

A R R I V A L
Thanking the flight and cabin crew for their outstanding efforts, we proceeded to exit the aircraft and arrived at HKIA's terminal.

After my much needed cigarette, we proceeded towards immigration where Sam and I had split as I had to queue in line with the rest of the foreigners. One other thing I do not like about this airport -apart from its Terminal 2 concept- is the extremely slow immigration process. The counters never seem to be adequately staffed and there is always a very long queue.

Nevertheless, approximately an hour after we had arrived, I was through with immigration and at the arrivals hall where Sam was waiting, along with the ultra-intelligent and well-spoken Mr. Globetraveller who was anxiously waiting for a full briefing on the flight! He had spent the entire day within the premises of the airport for an all-day session of spotting (and we know exactly why he specifically chose today for this!).

Exterior view of the inaugural flight (picture by Globetraveller)

Picture by Globetraveller

Picture by Globetraveller

Picture by Globetraveller

And finally, our Emirates Chauffer Service! (picture by Sam Chui)

I had spent just under 24 hours in Hong Kong, where the majority of the time was spent with both Sam and Globetraveller. We 'plane-talked' the living daylights out of Hong Kong, and practically planned out Emirates' 20 year business plan, forecasted the airline's fleet configurations, announced the 90 A380 network, and discussed the many different ways one can take advantage of the Skywards program to its full potential.

The next day, the three of us parted ways, and I was onboard a Cathay Pacific A330 flight back to Dubai.

C O N C L U S I O N
This was another one of my favorite experiences of all time. It was not an 'all-out' inaugural flight per se, but it was Sam and me that made it happen. Without any judgment, no finicky critiques, no inconsistency pinpointing, and no whining! In the end, we had the BEST time!

On top of all this, the excellent crew, the professional manner in which they treated their customers, and the truly superb in-flight service was simply an added bonus that made things even better!

I have flown Emirates quite a number of times this year, and from my own experience I can say that they have come quite a long way in comparison with 2005/2006. Long are the days when I consistently had bad flights with Emirates, and I hope that this will remain to be the case!

Finally, I would like to thank Sam Chui and Globetraveller for making this happen! The entire experience on and off the ground wouldn't have been this great without them!

This concludes my Trip Report. I hope that you have enjoyed it; your comments are always welcome!

I had been waiting for this little gem for some time now and I am glad you took the time to make this TR so special. The excitement felt by both you and Sam is evident throughout the report - just as it was evident when you arrived in Hong Kong.

It really is impressive how great the EK crew was on your flight - you clearly landed very high up on the consistency curve!

It was also good to read about the finer details of your flight - I think both you and Sam conveyed the headlines pretty well when we met in Hong Kong!

It seems like EK has yet again made a F Class passenger leaving the plane satisfied. I'll be flying EK next March on the BKK-HKG leg and was pondering if I should do F Class BKK-HKG (since it's a day flight) and J Class HKG-BKK instead of going J class both legs. After reading your report, I know I should just go ahead and book F Class! Wonder if they provide amenity kits for F passengers for the BKK-HKG flight?

Quoting ronerone (Reply 1):Now we all know that the words ‘Hong’ and ‘Kong’ are music to my ears

Thankfully not "King" and "Kong" lol

Quoting ronerone (Reply 1):The terminal at this time of night was even less crowded

Quoting ronerone (Reply 1):There was a transit flow but it was far less overwhelming than the morning stampede. You could actually enjoy the terminal, but not for too long as the midnight arrival dumps were gradually peaking into the building.

It's quiet outside the terminal, but the masses are waiting in the transit and departure gate areas!

Quoting ronerone (Reply 1):Escaping the progressing crowds, we decided to seek shelter inside the Emirates Business Class lounge for some peace and quiet.

First Class snobs lol. I guess the perks of flying First

Quoting ronerone (Reply 1):When Sam had returned at 2am, he was beginning to feel rather sick. Not sure whether it was exhaustion or food poisoning, but his condition began to worsen a little, his face was rather pale, and his stomach pain was not going away.

Probably was not a good idea to get a full massage after a full meal!

Quoting ronerone (Reply 1):“The flight will soon begin boarding, but I think we have enough time. I’ve informed the gate and we will hold the flight for you”

I wonder if they would have held the flight if it had been someone in the other classes. I guess one of the perks of flying First.

Quoting ronerone (Reply 1):here was a lot of activity going on at the gate, and for some reason the variety of different congregations felt like I was at the entrance of an all-night dance rave that was hosting thousands of club-goers.

Well as far as club-goers go, it was going to Bangkok afterall.

Quoting ronerone (Reply 2):Peeping behind me through the aisle, masses were marching towards the opposite end of the fuselage

Quoting ronerone (Reply 3):"Mr. Hawi, the shower has been prepared for you"

Quoting ronerone (Reply 3):It was my first time being completely nude on an aircraft, and it felt so liberating!

This made me laugh, but thank you for your honesty with this, which probably others have been a bit more reserved to disclose!

Quoting ronerone (Reply 3):One thing is for sure -and the anti-EK's may think otherwise- is that the conversations one can have with your typically good Emirates crew are always quite real and very every-day. I think they can be quite a fun and down-to-earth bunch when on a good flight (and my experiences seem to see much more of the good than the bad of late).

This is especially true of the EK crews, they always love a good chat, and do take the time to talk to you. It's nice you got a fairly good lot but unfortunately the reports on www.airlinequality.com seem to be showing consistent reports of decline in the premium cabins. But then the A380 crews are known to be a lot better than the mainline fleet. I too can only wish EK continues to be on the upward trend, as they do have so much to offer in terms of other aspects of the flight.

Yes, I infact enjoyed those awful Gulf AIr routing in the 90s when you just had to stop in one more GCC point before heading to BOM. DOH - AUH/MCT/BAH/ - BOM either one of the 3 would be transit stops. It used to be fun running around the aircraft as a kid.

Once again a well drafted TR, and thanks for sharing.

Great leaders don't tell you what to do ... they show you how it's done!

Roni , the name said it all , it took me so much time to read your TR ( I hate you unnecessary distractions :S ) and I have to say that this is by far the best trip report I have ever read! and you know that I am as picky as anything. There is so much to talk about , Firstly its really nice to see you guys working together - you , Sam and Globaltraveller , the result is phenomenal .

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):At the counter at 10:25am, we handed our documents to the check-in agent and informed her about our requests for an upgrade to First Class

I just wanted to point out the 10:25 am thingy thats knew you can check in more than 12 hours before your flight - I know you can

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):. You could actually enjoy the terminal, but not for too long as the midnight arrival dumps were gradually peaking into the building.

True , I almost got run over hahahaha they just keep flowing all night long , but I have to agree the F&B check in area is quite sleepy from like 6 to 11pm In fact outflow of traffic is very slow at that time

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):However, on our way to the medical clinic Sam cracked a smile and said “hey Roni, take my picture on the wheelchair!!!” All the paramedics broke into laughter when they saw me taking pictures of Sam on a wheelchair.

Comical ! :P

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):On board this flight, was a set of 23 cabin crew which included the purser -Sharon Wong from the Philippines-, three SFS' scattered throughout the aircraft, and one Cabin Service Attendant (CSA), whose task was primarily the up-keeping of the onboard Spa.

Wow you sure were well taken care of 3 SFS's hahaha , oh btw , I had a question other than the two spa rooms or whatever they are called there are 2 or 3 lav's?

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):As Emirates’ ultra-latest bird at the time, it was a very exciting discovery and for once our ‘I am only into classic planes’ type theories suddenly did not matter anymore

At last u admitted :P , classic planes are cool but nothing beats a brand new A380 or 77W

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):As it was a very short flight, I think it only made perfect sense to have a classy tray service for the mea

I agree- a classy tray service is more then sufficient , but it should stay classy , I also liked the way Sam removed all the condiments from his tray and placed the bread basket instead

Thats really cool - a water salute from a new perspective , well I guess it makes up for not having a window - that was a very brave decision taken by you both - well worth it though , I love all the photos that were taken from the partition between the seats!

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter): We 'plane-talked' the living daylights out of Hong Kong, and practically planned out Emirates' 20 year business plan, forecasted the airline's fleet configurations, announced the 90 A380 network, and discussed the many different ways one can take advantage of the Skywards program to its full potential.

Hahahaha , what better way to spend a day than to gossip about EK it rhymes !

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):I have flown Emirates quite a number of times this year, and from my own experience I can say that they have come quite a long way in comparison with 2005/2006. Long are the days when I consistently had bad flights with Emirates, and I hope that this will remain to be the case!

Well I am glad that there are so many positive Trip Reports about EK stating that as well , I haven't flown on them as much as you did , but I could still feel it .

I am quite confident that my limited vocab will not do you any justice - I loved all the pictures and the editing is superb. You keep exceeding my expectations with every new TR and one lesson I have learn't is not to set a limit on your creativity and passion . Awesome work - That was definitely a distinction
Cheers
Islam Darwish
( A big fan of EK & I am not being sarcastic)

First of all, thank you for such a magnificently bubbly report. The spirit is infectious; I felt rejuvenated reading this after a tiring day. Great photos from all three contributors too.

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):to the medical clinic Sam cracked a smile and said “hey Roni, take my picture on the wheelchair!!!” All the paramedics broke into laughter when they saw me taking pictures of Sam on a wheelchair.

Sam manages to look this enthusiastic while feeling unwell... I am impressed. No need to visit the pharmacy after the consultation. Somehow the Iraqi ground agent had already prescribed the best medication.

Quoting ronerone (Reply 2):There has been a lot of debate on the 5-minute time-limit on the Emirates shower. The mechanism behind this, is that you are allowed a total of 30 minutes to spend inside the spa doing whatever you wish (and mind you, a maximum of two people per session is the rule!)

5 minutes, while not luxurious, is good enough to get clean refreshed. For one person. Two people per session... hmmm

Quoting ronerone (Reply 2):It was my first time being completely nude on an aircraft, and it felt so liberating!

Just like that, having witnessed so much at such a tender age, A6-EDM was never the same again...

Quoting ronerone (Reply 4):and her very first task -even before stowing her carry-on rollaway that was trailing behind her in the aisle- was to greet her First Class customers with nothing but momma's love n care!

That says a lot about her passion for service. EK has been scoring lately in this respect. I hope they keep it up.

What an honour that the Inaugural flight was DXB-KHI. I can still picture the full page advertisment in the newspapers about their new service! And how far they have now reached. Well done, Emirates!!!

Looks like you and Sam had a blast & this could well be your finest post to date!

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter): I randomly requested if there was any possibility to use the First Class Lounge given that we have the possibility of this upgrade looming in the background.

“Gentlemen, it would be my pleasure to offer you the facilities of our First Class lounge, please present your boarding pass to my colleague Reem inside the lounge and she will be more than happy to assist”

- So true, not quite the feeling as flying on something for the first time, but special regardless.

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):It was my first time being completely nude on an aircraft, and it felt so liberating!

- I know the feeling, had a similar experience first time I took a shower in an airport lounge

Quoting ronerone (Thread starter):One other thing I do not like about this airport -apart from its Terminal 2 concept- is the extremely slow immigration process. The counters never seem to be adequately staffed and there is always a very long queue.

- Yep, not keen on T2 and yes, the immigration process has been pretty slow every time I've entered.

Your whole EK experience in First looked great, service, food, presentation, staff interaction, just as a great airline should be, just a shame not all EK flights live up to this standard.

It was good to read Sam was ok, that must have been a bit of a nervous time!

Hey Roni ,
10/10 to you and Sam. . This has to be I think my favourite report by you . Crisp photos and such an amusing read. Loved it from start to finish. Your quality on the TR forum as I have said before is second to none. Its certainly a case of quality over quantity